In a twist of irony, many visitors to this month's Republican National Convention will travel between their hotels and the Tampa, Fla., downtown event on a busy road named to honor President John F. Kennedy, a Democrat.

Kennedy Boulevard, a gateway to downtown from the west, was so named in 1964 partially because of a special connection between Tampa and the 35th president. Kennedy had waved to massive crowds lining that road from an open-topped Lincoln Continental on Nov. 18, 1963. The next time he rode in that car, four days later in a motorcade through downtown Dallas, he would be shot to death.

The Tampa-JFK connection is just part of Florida's rich presidential history. It includes Andrew Jackson's role as Florida's first territorial governor in Pensacola and Harry S. Truman's "Little White House" in Key West.

There's more in Tampa, too. A grand structure topped with curiously ornate minarets was once called the Tampa Bay Hotel. Built by railroad magnate Henry Plant, it was there that then-Col. Teddy Roosevelt and members of the First United States Volunteer Cavalry – better known as the Rough Riders – bivouacked in 1898 before shipping out for Cuba and the Spanish-American War. Today, the building houses a museum and is a centerpiece of the stately downtown University of Tampa campus.

In more modern history, as the Tampa Bay area grew up and Florida became a critical swing state, visits by sitting presidents have become relatively common, and Tampa has become a required campaign-trail stop for any candidate who hopes to win over the many swing voters here.

For visitors to the Aug. 27-30 convention, there is plenty more to take in.

Tampa's former Latin quarter, Ybor (EE-bor) City, adjacent to downtown, was for the first half of the previous century the cigar manufacturing capital of the world, with more than 200 factories once lining the narrow streets. That heritage is celebrated here, and still alive in the cigar shops in what is now a bustling entertainment district. In so-called Cigar City, aficionados can put fire to a fine stogie rolled minutes before right in the window of one those Ybor City shops.

Don't fancy a cigar? Then how about a Cuban sandwich? That's the other product virtually synonymous with Tampa and similarly interwoven into its history.

A staple of the early immigrant communities in Ybor City, the sandwich of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on pressed Cuban bread remains a Tampa favorite, with many restaurants and sandwich shops claiming to have the best or most authentic version. (Like pizza, Cuban sandwiches are hardly ever bad, regardless of who makes them.)

The area is expected to benefit directly from the convention to the tune of around $175 million, according to the host committee, and, down the road, to attract potential visitors from among the millions of people watching it on TV around the world. The event will attract three times more media members than the Super Bowl, which Tampa has hosted four times.

"It's coverage that you can't buy," said Travis Claytor, spokesman for the area's tourism bureau. "Every time they do a cutaway shot of the skyline of downtown Tampa or the Tampa Bay Times Forum, or show beauty shots of the beaches and the attractions, that's promoting the destination like we've never been able to promote it before."

Tampa will be the focus for convention visitors, of course, with its big-city skyline, world-class aquarium, Busch Gardens theme park, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and the riverfront arena where all the convention floor action will take place. But the area is what it is – cool and cosmopolitan enough to attract Super Bowls, NCAA Final Four tournaments and now, a political convention – because of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and the rest of what is collectively known as "Tampa Bay."

Visitors will do themselves a disservice if they don't cross the bay and check out St. Petersburg's stunning waterfront downtown area, as well as the youthful vibe of Clearwater Beach. Some of the best white-sand beaches anywhere are close by, too. Two of them – Fort DeSoto Park and Caladesi Island – have topped the list from Stephen P. Leatherman, a Florida International University professor dubbed "Dr. Beach" for his annual rankings of the nation's best coastlines.

Just north of Clearwater is Tarpon Springs, a small town established by Greek immigrant sponge divers in the early 20th century whose descendants have worked hard to maintain the distinct Mediterranean flavor.

Beaches will lure Republicans trying to beat the August heat - Unless Hurricane (or Tropical Storm) Isaac disrupts plans AP file photo
Tampa, home of the Republican National Convention, which starts Monday. AP file photo
Caladesi Island State Park, a barrier island along the Gulf of Mexico, on Florida's West Coast, is among the great beaches in the Tampa Bay area. FILE PHOTO:, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tampa, Fla., will host the Republican National Convention on Aug. 27-30. FILE PHOTO:, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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